1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an epicardial mapping electrode, and more particularly to an epicardial mapping electrode being able to monitor the left ventricle after a cardiac surgery in order to find a suitable location for biventricular stimulation of a heart.
2. Description of Related Art
Pacemakers for biventricular stimulation are known and are employed in particular for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) to re-coordinate the beating of the two ventricles by pacing both simultaneously and specifically improving the contraction of the left ventricle for patients with weak heart rate. The pacemaker is implanted and connected to right-ventricular electrodes for the stimulation of a right ventricle of the heart and to left-ventricular electrodes for the stimulation of a left ventricle of the heart. The success of cardiac resynchronization therapy depends amongst other factors on the correct position of the left ventricular electrode. As the left ventricular electrode cannot be implanted directly into the left ventricle the left ventricular electrode is introduced by way of the coronary sinus and positioned in a lateral side branch which branches from that coronary sinus. The fixation and the position of the left ventricular electrode in the different parts of the coronary sinus are essential for the success of the resynchronization therapy.
The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a mapping electrode helping the physician to find the best section for placing the left ventricular electrode and helping him to know whether the selected position of the left ventricular electrode is suitable for delivering electrical stimuli and possibly also for measuring electric activity.
The aim of the present invention is to provide the requirements for optimized cardiac resynchronization therapy.
Such conventional methods and systems have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a need in the art for epicardial mapping electrode that allows for monitoring the left ventricle after a cardiac surgery in order to find a suitable location for biventricular stimulation of the heart. The present invention provides a solution for these problems.